lindsaywesker

[lindsaywesker]

Keep your messaging simple:

“Trump fired everyone in charge of airplane safety, and a week later planes started crashing into each other.”

That’s it. That’s the messaging. Don’t get bogged down disputing Trump’s false claims. Just blame him, in short and repeatable sentences.

[lindsaywesker]

Good morning!  I hope you slept well and feel rested?  Currently sitting at my desk, in my study, attired only in Blue Towelling Robe No. 1, enjoying my first cuppa of the day.

It felt cold yesterday but the forecasters say the temperature will increase as the week goes on.  Has it been a bad winter?  No.  Snow and ice did not disrupt our lives.  Has it been cold?  Yes.  But not as biting as New York cold.  Not as bad as mid-west or Canadian cold.  Has it been a long winter?  No.  Spring begins on March 20 and yet we’re getting sunshine and 14 degrees this weekend.  So, why does it feel like it’s been a long and painful winter? 

Obviously, some people have S.A.D. but I also think some people are unsettled and unsure, and I think some people are actually depressed.  Right about now, there’s a huge amount of turmoil in the world, which has caused uncertainty and made many people think twice before making any kind of financial decision.  All of that has made winter feel even more grim than usual.  To counteract that, some are flying out somewhere for a blast of warm weather, while some are just checking the sky waiting for a little sunshine. 

Am I depressed?  Nah, not me!  I’m the luckiest bastard in the world!  My life is so full of goodness, and good food, and good people, and good vibes, there should be a law against it!  The turmoil doesn’t trouble me.  We’ve been here before.  Good will always triumph over evil.  I’m a firm believer in that.  There are some truly evil people walking this earth but I believe karma will get them!  And, yes, I firmly believe in karma!  Or, in modern parlance, FAFO!  

First day of half term so, yesterday, the trains were full of grandparents and their grandkids.  The parents have to work, so the grandparents stepped up to plate.  We’ve got The Mighty Josiah for the week.  His dad took him to work yesterday and will take him today, but I’m working from home Wednesday and Thursday, so I can have him here.  And we are promised a visit from my beautiful 40-year-old daughter on Thursday, so I’m looking forward to that!

Have a tremendous and tumultuous Tuesday.  I love you all. 

[lindsaywesker]

[lindsaywesker]

[lindsaywesker]

Good morning!  I hope you slept well and feel rested?  Currently sitting at my desk, in my study, attired only in Blue Towelling Robe No. 4, enjoying my first cuppa of the day.

Welcome to the working week although, for those of you working in the NHS, welcome to just another day.

Valentine’s Day was perfect!  My son said, “Aren’t you taking her out for dinner?  You’re not very romantic!”  I had other plans.  The Trouble didn’t get home until after 8.00, I knew she’d be exhausted and I knew she’d be more than happy to do bugger-all, eat dinner and watch TV and, when she fell asleep in the front room armchair, I knew my work was done.  When you’re married to a busy, professional woman, this is ‘romance’.

Many thanks to everyone that listened to The Letter C (Pt. 7).   Thanks for all your emails, messages, texts and WhatsApps.  Apologies if I didn’t get to your shout.  It’s always great to hear that the station is being heard in shops all over the South-East.  If you missed C Pt. 7, it’s up on my MixCloud page.

Straight after the show, we were down the motorway to see Lady Wesker who, as you would expect, was pleased to see us.  Company makes her happy.  When you reach a certain age – 88 – and all your friends are dead or dying, loneliness is a killer.  So, for 24 hours, we did our best to keep her company and engage her in good conversation. 

Lady Wesker loves to catch up with anyone that wants to catch up!  She said she bumped into her niece coming out of Specsavers the other day and they went and had an impromptu cuppa.  It made her day, she said.  A cuppa and a chat lifts anyone’s spirits.  Works for me!  If you’ve got people around you that you think will appreciate a little company, go and see them!

On Sunday morning, I went to stretch my legs.  It wasn’t warm, so I walked briskly.  The Prom was full of walkers and runners.  That sea air sure woke me up! 

We’ve got an exciting wedding to go to in May.  The bride and groom have been very sensible and knocked Saturday on the head.  This is going to be Wednesday wedding, so The Trouble and I will spend Tuesday night in Waltham Abbey!      

Have a marvellous and momentous Monday.  I love you all.

[lindsaywesker]

Reach.

'The A-Z Of Mi-Soul Music' starts at 1.00 p.m. The Letter C (Pt. 7). Your education continues. http://mi-soul.com online + on DAB plus across London & Brighton. Big-up Mi-Soul Radio + big-up Danny Talbot (absolutely killing it on Mi-Soul right now!)

[lindsaywesker]

Okay so we have this huge problem with forgetting about everything that’s happened by the time the next election rolls around so I’d like to keep a running list of things as they’re happening to help remind us when the 2026 midterms roll around. And please add to this if I’ve missed anything.

January 2025:

Donald Trump pardoned 1500 people who participated in the insurrection of January 6th, including those who violently assaulted and nearly killed police officers.

Donald Trump has declared that trans and non-binary people don’t exist.

Donald Trump is working towards firing everyone in the government who isn’t loyal to him.

Donald Trump has effectively fired everyone who he claims is an “illegal DEI hire” …whatever that means

Donald Trump pulled out of the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization

Congress are trying to pass the Laken Riley Act to, effectively, round up every immigrant in the country, including LEGAL immigrants

Donald Trump removed caps on prescription drug prices.

Donald Trump wants to withhold federal aid to help combat the LA wildfires and help the thousands of people who have been displaced and lost their homes.

The Department of Justice has put a hold on all civil rights cases.

Donald Trump has cut off aid to Ukraine.

Laken Riley Act has been passed by Congress and is awaiting being signed into law by the President. Here’s the breakdown of the votes: House Senate

Donald Trump purged a dozen inspectors general from the federal government and intends to replace them all with people loyal to him.

Pete Hegseth has been confirmed as Secretary of Defense. Here’s the breakdown of how the Senate voted. Note, it was a 50-50 tie that JD Vance had to break.

Donald Trump imposed a 25% tariff on Colombia after the Colombian government turned away two airplanes carrying migrants. Columbia has retaliated by imposing a 25% tariff of its own on US goods.

Donald Trump has also issued a travel ban for Colombian citizens and revoked visas from Colombian migrants coming to the US.

Donald Trump has now backed off the tariffs and other threats against Colombia. Note for future reference: this comes just hours after Trump made the threat in the first place and he and the Colombian president got into a big fight on social media.

Nearly 1,000 migrants were arrested mostly in Chicago on January 26th by ICE and ICE has been told to meet a quota of 75 migrant arrests every day.

Donald Trump rescinded an anti-discrimination executive order from Lyndon B. Johnson

Donald Trump signed an executive order banning trans people from serving in the military and also ordered that people who were discharged for refusing to get mandatory vaccines be reinstated.

Donald Trump has frozen all federal grants to institutions.

After pressure from state governments, activist groups, and the general public, the White House has rolled back some of the freezes on federal funding.

Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN) has proposed a change to the 22nd Amendment to allow Donald Trump, specifically, to serve a third term.

Donald Trump is trying to fire all federal employees who don’t want to return to the office (work-from-home saves the federal government millions of taxpayer dollars in overhead). He also sent an email to federal employees saying that if they’re not loyal to him, they’ll be investigated.

Donald Trump has signed the Laken Riley Act into law.

Donald Trump has said he doesn’t think Palestinians should be allowed to return to Gaza but instead should be sent to Egypt and Jordan.

Native Americans have been targeted by ICE raids.

Donald Trump has ordered undocumented immigrants to be sent to Guantanamo Bay

Donald Trump signed an executive order to expand federal funding for school choice programs. [x]

Donald Trump signed an executive order saying that he will deport visa-holding students who protest against Israel. [x]

Donald Trump has blamed DEI for the plane crash that killed 67 people in Washington D. C. [x]

Donald Trump signed an executive order that schools should no longer teach about racism and discrimination. And that schools should only teach history that is “patriotic” [x]

Florida Representative Anna Paulina Luna wants to add Donald Trump’s face to Mount Rushmore. [x]

Trump’s Department of Education has called book bans a hoax. [x]

The Department of Justice has barred certain news outlets from receiving information from the Pentagon. [x]

The Trump administration has fired multiple FBI officials who investigated the January 6th insurrection. [x]

February 2025

I’ll keep adding to this list as new things come up and, again, please feel free to add anything I’ve missed. I know that in this world of constant news it’s easy to forget, so let’s give our future selves a little help!

[lindsaywesker]

Good morning!  I hope you slept well and feel rested?  Currently sitting at my desk, in my study, attired only in Blue Towelling Robe No. 1, enjoying my first cuppa of the day.  Welcome to the weekend! 

Wow!  Here we are again: Friday!  Where did that week go?  No, seriously, where did that week go?

So, I went for my walk yesterday because I needed to stretch my legs and … well … because I’m a fat bastard but, while I was out walking, I thought to myself, “God, it’s cold!  What the hell am I doing out here?”  I mean, I’m mad but I’m not that mad!  Why would I willingly torture myself?  Five degrees celsius?  Sod that!  I think I’ll wait for 10! 

I almost got scammed on Facebook yesterday.  Telling me how my group page was transgressing their rules.  And then I re-read it carefully and there was a spelling mistake!  Hah, gotcha!

When I ask The Trouble what she wants for dinner, most nights she will say ‘omelette’ because she loves this insane cheese and ham creation that I make.  It’s kind of halfway between scrambled eggs, a soufflé and an omelette, and it’s got far too much cheese and far too much ham in it.  (I think I need a bigger frying pan!)  Anyway, last night, as a pre-Valentine’s treat, I cooked-up this culinary delicacy for her.

I’ll be on campus today, conducting two three-hour lectures.  It’s taken me a while to get there but I rather like what I do.  I like this new skill I’ve learnt.  I like the rhythms of my week.  Every day is different.  I’m not tied to a desk or a routine.  Who’d have thought a numbskull like me could become a teacher?       

Hope you can join me tomorrow at 1.00 p.m. for ‘The A-Z Of Mi-Soul Music’.  The Letter C (Part Seven).  No executive producer, just two hours of superb music to keep you company as you cook, clean, shop, travel or do whatever you do! 

Straight after the show tomorrow, we’ll be down the M23 to spend 24 hours with Lady Wesker.  She is definitely over this season!  88-year-old people do not cope well with the cold and the dark of winter. 

Have a fabulous and funky Friday!  I love you all.  You’re probably thinking, “You don’t even know me!” but, if people can hate for no reason, why can’t I love?

[lindsaywesker]

[lindsaywesker]

Medusa

[lindsaywesker]

[lindsaywesker]

Good morning!  I hope you slept well and feel rested?  Currently sitting at my desk, in my study, attired only in Blue Towelling Robe No. 2, enjoying my first cuppa of the day.

Yesterday was a good day.  I talked to some of my students via Zoom and I think – well, I hope – I helped.  One student talked about motivation and, down the years, I’ve heard that from a lot of students: a deadly combination of motivation and procrastination.  I said to him, “This is your time!  When you hit 30, you won’t feel like a young man anymore!  You’ll be watching 18-year-olds overtaking you and you’ll be full of regret.”  He gave me a tired nod of resignation.  “I’m sure you’ve heard this before.”  “Yes, I have,” he said.  I think you know my feelings on procrastination.  I face it head on.  Procrastination hurts no one but the procrastinator.  The task you were meant to complete … it will still be there tomorrow and it still needs completing!  You can run but you can’t hide.  (I’ve got all the cliches!)        

The Unfollowing continues!  Wow, I had to disconnect myself from a very old friend last night.  One of the original pirate radio pioneers!  Talking all sorts of delusional conspiracy theories.  I don’t want that nonsense on my page!  I guess, when some people reach a certain age, their neurological functions start to fade?  I know arty-farty types like me are meant to be tolerant but – seriously – I have to protect my brain from drivel!

I’ve got a gap in my day today and I am going for a long walk.  I did a lot of sitting down yesterday and all this sitting is not good for a body.  These sedentary jobs will shrink you!  I’m not tall, so I can’t afford to shrink.  I don’t care what the weather is like, I’m going to stretch my legs.  

Gigs to look forward to: ‘Let The Music Play’ at Cinnabar, Stevenage (February 28), Tiny’s 60th at Tranquil Turtle, Stevenage (March 22), Mi-Soul Grand Weekender at Grand Hotel, Brighton (April 11-13), Soul 4U Weekender at Aloft Hotel, Birmingham (September 5-7).

Have a throbbing and thrusting Thursday (with hopefully a few thrills through your thoroughfare?)  I love you all.

[lindsaywesker]

littlepie.hoian

[lindsaywesker]

This is how Haitians won their freedom: no pleading, no marching, no begging, no signing petitions, no holding up signs, no chanting, no sit-ins—just decisive action! 🇭🇹

[lindsaywesker]

[lindsaywesker]

The Japanese village of Shirakawa, known for its historic thatched-roof houses, has implemented an automatic sprinkler system to protect these structures from fire. This system is cleverly concealed within huts that blend seamlessly with the traditional architecture. In the event of a fire, the sprinklers activate to douse the area with water, mitigating potential damage.

[lindsaywesker]

Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado and his wife, Lélia Deluiz Wanick Salgado, have been instrumental in reforesting the Rio Doce Basin area in Brazil since 1998. Through their organization, Instituto Terra, they have planted over 2.7 million trees, successfully restoring more than 550 acres of forest and 2,000 natural springs. 

Their efforts have transformed a once barren landscape into a thriving forest ecosystem, demonstrating the profound impact that dedicated reforestation initiatives can have on environmental restoration.